North Carolina History

ibiblio is maintained at UNC-Chapel Hill, and being based in NC, it has a large collection of resources on North Carolina history. I’ve compiled a list of historical websites related to events or periods in North Carolina that span over two centuries and range from east to west. Read about them below to find something to explore!

Excavating Occaneechi Town

Created by UNC Press, this site from 2003 was updated in 2021 and details the historic Occaneechi tribe and archaeologists’ excavation of their village. There is a ton of information about the artifacts that were found and an interesting background section on the history of the Occaneechi.

Oxford Orphanage

The Oxford Orphanage of Oxford, NC (now the Masonic Home for Children) was the first permanent orphanage in North Carolina. It was founded in the mid-nineteenth century and sought to educate and care for poor and orphaned children. You can read about the long history of the orphanage, view photos, and read staff interviews all on the site.

Old Chapel Hill Cemetery

The first burial at the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery was in 1798, and it is still an important part of UNC’s campus today. Produced by UNC students, this page houses photos and resources related to the cemetery, a summary of its history, and a list of historical burials.

Broken Arrow: Goldsboro, NC

Check out this site to learn more about the two hydrogen bombs that were accidentally dropped on Faro, NC in 1961. Luckily the bombs did not detonate, but the full story is worth a read!

WWI Detainees in Hot Springs, NC

This archive features photos by Adolph Thierbach, a detainee of the Mountain Park Hotel where German civilians were being held between 1917 and 1918. He documented the time he spent in Hot Springs and later created a photobook to organize all of his pictures. Many photos, along with translated captions, are available thanks to the Madison County Library of North Carolina.

Documenting the American South

DocSouth is an initiative sponsored by UNC Libraries with materials on Southern history and culture that are great for students, teachers, researchers, and history enthusiasts. There are collections about the Civil War, colonial settlement, the evolution of Christianity in Southern Black culture, the history of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and so many more topics. You can browse more specific subjects with their index as well!

Further Reading

To learn more about North Carolina, you can browse the North Carolina Culture tag in ibiblio’s catalog.